WHAT was perceived as insensitive policing helped fuel the Oldham riots, according to the official report into the causes of the violence.

The inquiry report says that the view of policing of Asian areas being insensitive was a factor which led to trouble.

It concluded that some officers - ''certainly not all'' - have exhibited racist behaviour.

The reports adds: ''Indeed it is clear that for some rioters it was the police themselves who were the principal targets, not simply because they were attempting to restore law and order, but because of a sense of frustration and grievance.

''We have concluded that some but by no means all of those grievances have some foundations: at the same time we heard on occasions there had been less rigorous policing on Asian areas than other parts of the towns.''

The report concludes that the policing of the town has been carried out ''honourably'' but there were some police issues to be resolved.

'Difficult circumstances'

It adds: ''On the whole, the policing of the town has been carried out honourably in very difficult circumstances but there can be no dispute that policing and the perception of policing was a contributory factor behind the riots.''

The report states that policing is the issue about which the different communities are most deeply divided.

It adds ''Most people across the town are agreed that those who rioted and those who caused the riots need to be punished.

''But beyond that such questions as who or what triggered the riots, how fairly has the town been policed, the validity of racist crime statistics, the propensity of individual police officers to racism are all issues on which opinions are polarised.

''One point on which there is agreement between most white and Asian people is that the police are too slow in responding to incidents whenever they are reported.''

On policing, the report recommends a new structure for the town more sensitive to the community it serves, a database of best practice and new ideas to support forces like Oldham should be set up, and a review of the town's community affairs unit.

Recommendations also include a more effective communication strategy to counteract misunderstanding.

New training programmes should be introduced with particular emphasis about the use of offensive and inappropriate language. Police should also involve the Black and Asian Police Association to assist on strategies for recruitment and retention.

At present there are 12 ethnic minority officers out of 402 in Oldham and two ethnic support officers out of 67.